Hidden in the Reeds
by Shadowfish
Summary: Percy and Zhann arrive at Camp Half-Blood together, and while their stories intertwine, they are wildly different. Starting with Book One: the Lightning Thief. Reviews welcome
1. Welcome to Camp!

The fire crackled and spat as the sticks prodded the failing embers, sparking new life from the old, crispy hearth. The sky above the small group of travelers was a deep inky black, the stars hidden by dense clouds, threatening to cry out. The forest around them was quiet, save for the soft chirps of crickets, the trees thinly weeding out to an open field not far away. The orange and yellow blaze again began to warm the air around the travelers, all huddled in their blankets and sitting (or lying) as close to the fire as they dared, without catching the flame. The ground beneath them was hard, the grass trampled from the constant pressing of feet and bodies. Three of the group slept, close together, their breathing deep and peaceful. Two more sat at the fire, the dark blanket around them standing out starkly against their pale skin.

At first glance, they seemed like any other group of people, camping out in the lonely forest. At second glance, reality wore thin, and the perception was altered. The two sitting on the bench were hardly old enough to be in highschool. They seemed weary and tired, yet aware of their surroundings. Every chirp of the insects, every crackle of the embers underneath the fire, every silent whisper of the wind was noted. In the middle of the log sat a girl with slightly tan skin. She had bright blue eyes that glittered in the firelight. Her hair was long, full-bodied, and so black it was nearly as blue as the ocean's depths.

"We're close, Hillock. I can feel it." She sighed, and prodded the fire once more. Her other hand was laid on a thin, almost rusty short sword in it's sheath.

"I know, Zhann. But we've got to keep on guard. This is the dangerous part, when we start relaxing…" He paused, as if unsure of his next words. "I'm not so sure about this storm. It's… it's strange." Hillock spoke, his face in deep thought. He had thick, coarse, brown hair, with small stubs of horn sticking out. His skin was deeply tanned. Against his bare chest was a small set of reed pipes that looked much older than he did. His legs were covered in thick, shaggy, brown hair and instead of feet, he had dully gleaming hooves. The satyr stared at the sky in concern, watching lightning streak across threateningly. Thunder rumbled in the distance, like the clouds were waiting to explode.

"Hm. He must be angry. We've been out of the loop for a while, I wouldn't think much of it. We're close to the camp. Let them rest a bit longer, and in an hour or so, we'll carry on." Zhann looked pointedly at the three sleeping kids. They weren't that much younger, but they were all so very new to this. So very innocent, and out of place with the world that was going on around them.

The hour passed by slowly. The two were caught up in their own thoughts, just watching the forest around them. A small noise caught Zhann's attention. It was like a snake, slithering in the leaves. She looked at the ground around her, eyebrows furrowed in concern. She shook off the noise as Hillock stood. Rain started falling, around them, and the wind started to pick up. The embers of the fire were quickly extinguished.

"Hey, wake up you three. We're moving on." The satyr nudged each of their feet with his hoof, as if they needed a wake up. The three had already been awoken by the thick, heavy raindrops. Zhann collected the blanket from her shoulders neatly, shoving it into a large black pack. She quickly picked up the short blade, and A couple yawns later, the groaning pre-teens were standing. The two twin boys just looked at the world through glazed eyes, anger written on their faces at being so abruptly awoken. Their hair was already plastered to their skulls. The youngest, a little blonde eleven year old with gray eyes rubbed the sleep and the rain viciously from her face. Zhann collected the blanket the satyr picked off the kids, and shoved it into the backpack as well. She shouldered the pack and marched onwards, the three younger ones in between her and Hillock, who was bringing up the rear.

They marched quietly onward, far enough in the tree's to be hidden, but close enough to the field beside it to be ready for battle. The wind whipped wildly around them, while the rain poured down. The faint scent of strawberries was carried downward by the wind, and Zhann sniffed deeply. But there, that sound, that slithering… it was closer. And Zhann could smell the sea, and strawberries, and the faintest trace of sulphur.

She worriedly glanced back at Hillock. He had to have smelled it all, much more than she did, much sooner than she had as well. While the rain masked nearly everything, the scent of sulphur was still there, etched into her mind. He was quietly looking around, his eyes wide and alert. He caught her eye for a moment, and there was a solid moment of panic between them, behind his liquid brown eyes. She breathed deeply, and paused. The kids looked on quietly as she turned and put a finger to her lips. She could see the hill through the forest, and the fabled evergreen growing tall amongst the other trees. She started towards it.

Zhann heard the slithering, even closer now. She was still confused – it could very well have been the rain. She racked her brain, trying to think of what monster actually slithered. She knew that the gorgons surely had snakes for hair, but she couldn't remember what other types of creatures there were, that could be following them. The chimera had a snake for a tail, but by now they would have heard a lion's roar, or something. She had to stop her thinking process, though, because she heard a great crash to her left. She ran forwards spotting a road, the others following closely behind her.

As they reached the pavement, Zhann heard a loud hissing sound to her right, and a loud roar to her left. She spotted a car lying in a ditch, a little ways down the road. It's brake lights were on, a bright red light in the middle of the empty darkness. A figure emerged just as something else cauht Zhann's attention. A little farther than the car was a huge monster. It was too far away to really make out what it was, but it's silhouette was enormous.

As Zhann started towards the car, to help the people inside, a high-pitched scream ripped her from her thoughts. She turned around quickly, and gasped in horror. Two children back away with daggers in their tiny hands, looking up in horror, panic, and dismay at the creature. From the waist up, it was a woman with long brown hair, and wearing a snakeskin shirt. From the waist down, however, she had scales that melded smoothly into a rippling, sleek tail, with muscles contracting as she stood herself up. It was as if her mouth had unhinged, and her human body had widened for her prey – and as Zhann looked on, the more horrified she became. Dangling limply out of the beast's mouth were two feet, in muddy red shoes. One of the twin's.

Her mind went numb at the sight and panic ripped through her chest. She unsheathed her short blade as she looked for Hillock. She rushed forward instinctively as the last bit of shoe lace disappeared into the monster's gullet. It licked it's lips and lunged for the other twin, who froze in terror. She spotted the satyr a short distance away, shaking his head in confusion and disbelief.

"OI! LAMIA!" Zhann called out, getting the lamia's attention. The beast switched it's focus to the charging girl, who stabbed her blade into the creatures unprotected, soft-scaled yellow belly. Yes, the Lamia. The half-woman, half snake monster. With poison fangs, and a beautiful poison face. It's primary target was young children, and that was who it was going for.

The monster shrieked and squirmed in pain. Hillock rushed to the kids, nearly dragging them away from the scene.

"Get to the tree! The property line!" Zhann yelled as she hung onto the sword. The beast reared upwards, trying to twist itself away from the pain. It slammed its stomach into a tree, successfully knocking Zhann loose. Her right arm was scraped by the wood bark, and she hit the back of her head roughly against the tree. She felt blood ooze from both wounds, down her arm and the right side of her neck. The rain stung as it pounded against her fresh wounds. In the back of her dazed mind, she heard a gutteral roar. She tried to locate the source, but was distracted as the Lamia pulled the blade from its stomach and reared it's fangs at her. It threw the sword down, where it embedded itself into the ground. The rain washed the monster's black blood down its slimy stomach. Zhann rolled behind the tree and to the right just as the creature lunged at the ground.

Thankful that one of the most famous traits of the Lamia was its stupidity, Zhann caught her breath for a moment. She looked around the tree to see the monster as looking off to the right of the trees. It hadn't seen where she had gone. Then, she spotted a tiny silver glint in the darkness. The wind blew against her as she crouched down and ran to her sword. With a heave, she pulled it from the ground.

Now, behind the creature, she studied it intensely. It was stupid, slimy, and couldn't see or heard her. She looked down the length of its body for a weakness as she picked up the fainted slithering sound. She looked at the end of its tail and noticed that the slithering sound was, in fact, a rattle. Her tail was nearly vibrating as the monster hissed, creating a smooth slithering noise.

Behind her, something exploded – which unfortunately the monster heard as well. It rounded around at the noise, and saw Zhann. Thinking quickly, she stomped on the end, and drove the blade directly down. The Lamia turned around in agony, and started on Zhann. Inadvertently, in its haste to kill her, the creature ripped off the end of its own tail. Zhann watched as the end of the tail rattled for a bit, and then once again tugged the sword from the ground. Except this time, it wasn't dislodging itself. The beast angrily cried out again.

Zhann heaved against the rough handle of her sword, but it seemed completely stuck. She heard another roar in the distance, and for a millisecond, thought of the two kids, and of Hillock. She hoped they were safe. The monster took advantage of the situation, and lunged at Zhann, her jaw unhinged and wide. Finding her inner strength, she pulled the sword from the ground and swung upwards. She watched with wide, unbelieving eyes as the sword embedded itself just a little over halfway through the Lamia's neck.

Zhann let go of the sword as the force of the blow turned the creature on its side, and away from her. She breathed deeply, as the monster crumbled into dust as it fell to the ground. The wind blew it away in deep gusts, and before it even hit the ground, it was gone. The sword fell with a dull 'thwak' into the mud covered ground. Zhann stood there for a moment, and saw the triangular cone of the rattle from the snake. It was about the size of her hand, and was tough and smooth. Zhann felt it for a moment before quickly coming to her senses.

She ran across the road and up the hill, before stopping short at the scene, trying to take it all in.

The minotaur - A huge, beast like figure, half man, half bull. Funnily enough, it seemed to be wearing soaked tighty-whiteys. It's fur was thick and bristled, and the smell of wet, dirty barnyard animals and rotten meat met Zhann in a wall of stench. She saw three people in front of it. Well, two people and an unconscious satyr. The evergreen tree that marked the property towered over the scene, and Zhann knew she was almost safe. But she could never leave anyone in trouble, and facing the Minotaur counted as trouble. A twelve year old boy in a red rain jacket stood about ten feet away from the satyr, who was ten feet away from me. A woman was retreating downhill, trying to lead the monster away from them.

"Run, Percy!" She cried out, her voice carrying in the wind. Zhann could hear the fear in her voice. "I can't go any farther. Run!"

But Percy just stood there, frozen as the Minotaur charged the woman. Zhann started towards her, but it was too late. The woman tried to sidestep the bull-man, but the monster was smarted than it seemed. It's hand shot out and gripped the woman by the neck tightly. He lifted her effortlessly as she struggled. Her eyes weren't on the fate, the death she was facing, but instead on Percy.

"Mom!" He cried, unable to move, frozen in terror. Zhann stood, unable to look away. She couldn't help. She felt useless. She was only a few feet away from the satyr, but she couldn't help.

The woman's eyes looked on with hope, pain, and love. "GO!" She cried out to her son. The guttural roar that Zhann couldn't place resounded in her ears. The woman vanished into golden dust, like a balloon had suddenly popped. Suddenly Zhann realized that without the woman to distract him, the Minotaur would go after the closest person – in this case, the unconscious satyr.

She dropped the Lamia's rattle, gripped her sword tightly and started towards the beast, before it could get to the satyr. The kid seemed to come to his senses as Zhann shouted at him. "Get out of here!" The Minotaur reached the unconscious satyr and started to sniff him with its great ugly snout.

It seemed not to notice Zhann, and Percy started to move. But instead of running, he stripped off his red jacked and started to wave it at the beast.

"Hey! Hey, stupid! Ground Beef!" Percy yelled out, running to the other side of Zhann. She looked at him incredulously. He waved his jacket quickly, and turned his back to the great big tree. Zhann thought his plan was simple, but she didn't think it would work. This creature wasn't as stupid as the Lamia had been. She didn't think he could jump out in time to get out of the way. With nothing else to do, she bent down and shook the satyr by his shoulders. This one was younger than Hillock, but not by much. Hillock seemed so much more mature, in looks though. More developed. She pushed the thoughts from her mind as she watched the bull charged, both his arms spread wide. It bent it's head down, and it's horns were pointed at Percy.

Suddenly, the kid jumped directly up, surprising both Zhann and the beast. He kicked off of his head and turned in mid-jump, landing on the beast's back. The Minotaur rammed it's head into the tree, and Zhann could see that Percy was visibly shaken. The beast staggered around, trying to shake the boy off. Zhann shook the satyr again, and he groaned loudly.

"Food!" the satyr moaned. Zhann looked a bit shocked – that wasn't the expected response. Unfortunately, he didn't wake. And now, the Minotaur turned, ready to charge at Zhann and the satyr. She stood with her sword at the ready, her mind working a million miles an hour.

'Theirs is too much muscle and fur to penetrate with this lousy blade. And who know's if his heard it in the same place? If I try to stab him in the throat, I could miss and hit the kid. Maybe if I swipe downwards, and take out his legs… that should work. To her surprise, though before the bull could charge more than a few steps, there was a resounding 'SNAP!', and Percy lie on the round with a sharp horn in his hands. Zhann's eyes grew wide when she saw that he had snapped the horn off of the Minotaur's head. Percy sat up, just a little ways away from Zhann and the satyr. For a moment, it seemed like the beast didn't know what it was going to do – go after Percy, or Zhann. It chose, and turned towards what it saw as a bigger threat.

Zhann steadied herself as she looked directly into the creature's beady black eyes. She was standing, and though nearly her entire right side was soaked with blood, her sword gleamed in her hands and battle burned in her eyes. Percy looked a little dazed, and she couldn't blame him – he had just been thrown off the back of the biggest bull ever. The creature pawed its hooves into the round, getting ready to charge. Its breath came out in short, rugged pants. Zhann started towards it, her sword pointed forwards, as the bull barreled towards her. Just as it started to pass Percy, Zhann stuck her sword deep through its middle, while Percy had rolled up onto his knee and stabbed it with it's own horn between it's ribs. She had been knocked down, back onto her wounded side. She took the brunt of the bull's charge, and smiled vaguely as she realized she had only stopped the Minotaur from charging to the satyr – Percy had struck the fatal blow. She lay on the ground, her head pounding, watching as black blood poured from the wound in it's middle. It started to disintegrate into dust from the wound in its side. Chunks blew away in the wind, while thunder brewed across the sky and lightning flashed in the distance.

The rain had stopped sometime in the middle of the fight, though neither conscious warriors noticed. Zhann lay there for a moment, the rush of adrenaline wearing off. She looked over at the younger boy, noting his features. Surprisingly, she saw a little bit of recognition in his face. He looked familiar, yet she knew he was a complete stranger. His deep blue eyes were filled with grief, the pain of losing his mother still fresh in his mind. She remembered feeling like that. The two breathed deeply, slowly, as if the world was falling apart around them. She felt a smooth, yet hard surface touching her fingers, and she looked at what it was. The rattle. From the Lamia. Go figure. She gripped it, and suddenly remembered the kids, and Hillock.

Zhann stood up slowly, her head pounding and her skin dirty and sticky. She helped Percy up to his feet. He looked like he wanted to cry, but his eyes fell on the satyr. Without saying anything, the two picked him up, both gripping their respective treasures tightly. Zhann's vision blurred ever so slightly as she took in the sight of the farmhouse. Even though the sky was black, yellow fluorescent lights glowed in the distance. They stumbled towards the house. Zhann assumed that would be where Hillock took the kids. It must have seemed the right thing to Percy, because there was no hesitation.

We collapsed on the wooden deck, both of our strength failing us nearly at the same time. Crickets chirped in the background, and Zhann could hear the door open. Her vision faded in and out, until she focused on Hillock who was suddenly over her.

"Hey, hey, hey, are you okay? What happened?" He tried to get her attention. She smiled at him vaguely.

"Oh you know. Lamia. Minotaur. Same old stuff. Are…" She had a hard time focusing on the right words. Feet shuffled into her view as a kind looking bearded man bent over Percy. Zhann bent her head and looked over. A blonde and the man were talking in hushed whispers. Someone else had already taken the other satyr. The blonde and the bearded man looked at Zhann simultaneously. She went inside, and the bearded man bent over Zhann also. She looked back at Hillock. "Are the other's alright? Where are they? Are you okay?"

Hillock smiled warmly at the bearded man before replying. "Yeah, Lily and Vance are alright. I'm fine, just a couple bumps and bruises." He looked like he might say more, but the man interrupted.

"I think Zhann could use some rest. You've been traveling a very long time, and…" He had a deep, old voice. It was gruff, yet sweet. Zhann blacked out before he finished his sentence.


	2. Banana Cream Pie and Root Beer

Zhann dreamt of the sea. And of horses. And snakes. And eagles. And Lightning. But none of it made sense. Nothing ever made sense. Not in dreams, anyway.

She woke up in a nice, open room. There was a window, slightly open to the summer-like breeze, a few feet away from her bed. It felt cool on her warm skin. The decorations were scant, but it felt friendly in here. Nice, and cozy like. And with a sudden realization, Zhann sat up. With tired eyes she looked around. The first thing she noticed was that her old, grimy, torn clothes had been replaced. She now wore a bright orange shirt, with thick black words she couldn't make our, on account of her fuzzy head, and black, loose-fitting sweat pants. She looked at the thick comforter, and the white sheets. She smiled widely, and settled back down into the bed. 'A real, goodness to gracious bed.' Zhann sighed contentedly. There were two soft knocks on the white door, opposite the bed. Zhann looked up warily. The door opened, and Hillock walked in. His eyes were far away. He had the same bright orange shirt on now, with the words 'CAMP HALF-BLOOD'. He looked over at Zhann, but he didn't really see her. He sat in the chair next to the bed, deep in worried thought.

"Boo." Zhann managed in a loud whisper. Hillock jumped at her, and turned around startled. He chuckled humorlessly as he shook his head and cleared his throat.

"Gah, how long have you been awake?"

"A minute or two. How long have I been out?" Zhann could feel her throat was dry, and her voice cracked a little bit. She also noticed a bandage was wrapped around her right forearm, from her wrist to her elbow.

"A while. You took a pretty good bump to the head. We couldn't wake you up for anything."

"I'm pretty sure you couldn't wake me because of this bed. It's like heaven." Zhann signed and squirmed around a bit, worming her way into the covers. She started to stretch, and noticed that all of her muscles felt stiff. She sat up, and rubbed her face with both of her hands.

"I'll get you some food." Hillock stood quickly, and rushed out of the room before Zhann could protest. She looked around at the room, studying everything in his absence. She could see the wooden deck outside of the window. She threw the covers off of her, and tried to stand. It didn't last long, because her knees gave out before she could take a step. She crumpled down and caught herself on the bed.

'I musta been out longer than I thought.' She frowned at her weakness. After a moment of struggling, she righted herself. She found she lacked the strength to pull herself back onto the bed, so she simply sat cross-legged on the floor. Hillock looked amused when he came in, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Tried to walk, huh?" He set down the bowl of pudding and drink on the nightstand next to the bed, which also held her little snake tail treasure. He helped Zhann back onto the bed, and she graciously accepted. She saw the food and stuck out her tongue as He sat back in the chair.

"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it." Hillock shook his head at her. If there was one thing she was childish about, it was food. He stared intently on her face, waiting for her reaction. She firmly gripped the pudding bowl, knowing that she would be weak. She set it in her lap for a second, and lifted the spoon gingerly up to her nose. It was a light tan color, not dark enough to be butterscotch, and not light enough to be vanilla. Instead of smelling either butterscotch or vanilla, she smelled the light fragrance of flowers in the springtime. The question must have been on her face, because when she looked at Hillock, he grinned.

"Go on, then!" He gestured with both hands, laughter beginning to rumble in his chest. Zhann stuck out the tip of her tongue and wiped the back part of the spoon with it. But instead of any typical flavor, it tasted like freshly buttered popcorn from the movie theater. She cleaned the spoon, wondering how on earth it tasted like popcorn. After a few moments, she cleaned the bowl completely. The smile had never left Hillock's face, but now he looked off towards the strawberry fields, deep in thought.

Zhann set the bowl and spoon down, and picked up the drink, not knowing what to expect. It looked like iced apple juice. The outside of the glass had a thin layer of condensation. There was a little pink parasol, stuck in a maraschino cherry. She sniffed it slightly, but it didn't smell like anything special. She sipped it quickly, and was once again surprise at the taste. Instead of apple juice it tasted like banana cream pie and root beer. But it more reminded her of the little diner that she went to on the weekends, when she was really young. Where Candace, an older woman who had been the waitress for nearly twenty-five years, had sort of taken her in, and fed her a little something. But she always had the banana cream pie, with a root beer. Drinking it in, she felt so much better. Like the tension in her muscles melted away, like she had never been a small homeless child on the streets, like there weren't any monsters in the world, and everything was right.

The sound of the glass being drained shook Hillock from his thoughts. Zhann signed when she finished, and set the glass down on the table.

"What did it taste like?" He asked as she stood up, without any difficulty.

"Like my whole childhood was packed into one drink. It tasted like banana cream pie, and root beer. From that little diner we first met in." they both smiled at the thought. "How do you feel?" He asked, standing up and putting his hands on her forearms lightly. "Better than ever. And like I could use a good, long walk and a hot shower."

"Come on. There are a couple people whom I'd love for you to meet." Hillock smiled warmly at Zhann. They stood, She grabbed her rattle, and they slowly walked out to the porch.

It wrapped around the entire farmhouse. As Zhann looked to the horizon, she gasped at the beauty of everything. The valley and field stretched out to the edge of the sea, the sun high in the sky above. It seemed like the storm from the other night disappeared. Dotted along the fields were several gleaming new buildings – yet designed as if they fit into ancient Greece. There was a pavilion, an amphitheater, and arena, all gleaming white columns raised towards the heavens. There was a wooded trail where people were riding horses calmly, an archery range, even a lake with people paddling along in canoes. Kids and satyrs alike played volleyball happily in a sand pit. Zhann thought briefly of the two kids she had spared, the kid who had died, the satyr and the kid who fought the minotaur. But she and Hillock quickly reached the end of the porch, overlooking the entire valley.

There were four people sitting at a card table. Three of them Zhann recognized, though only fleetingly. There was Percy, who had fought with her against the Minotaur, the unconscious satyr who was now thankfully conscious, and the kind-eyed bearded man whom she had seen before, But couldn't place. The fourth man looked pleasantly plump, with an annoyed expression. He had a button nose that looked a bit redder than it should have, large black eyes, and thick, shiny, curly black hair that almost had a tinge of deep purple. He wore a garish, tiger print, button up, short-sleeve shirt and black shorts. Across the ridge of his nose were thin lines of red veins – the kind that older people get after they've drank too much wine all of their lives. Zhann saw the same lines blossom across Candace face as she had grown older.

"That's Mr. D, the camp director, and Chiron, who's the best teacher here." Hillock informed Zhann quietly as we walked up to the group. The other, younger satyr looked very nervous, while Percy looked drained and confused. Zhann felt the same way. The two heard the group's conversation before they were noticed.

"You do know how to play pinochle?" Mr. D asked Percy. His voice was lighter than she had expected.

"I'm afraid not." Percy said tiredly, shaking his head and looking at Mr. D.

"I'm afraid not, _sir_." Mr. D had corrected.

"Sir." Percy begrudgingly repeated.

"Well," Mr. D began, as if talking to a small child, "it is, along with gladiator fighting and Pac-man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans. I would expect all civilized young men to know the rules." He began shuffling the cards.

"I'm sure the boy can learn." Chiron said. Zhann noticed his tweed jacket and long brown hair before noticing his wheelchair. She imagined he smelled like coffee and books, like all professors should.

Hillock grabbed two chairs and set them next to the table. Chiron looked up, and smiled, while Mr. D continued shuffling the cards.

"Hillock! And Zhann, you're awake and well I see! How're you feeling?" He asked. Zhann smiled quickly before taking a seat, Hillock sitting next to her.

"I've been better." She cautiously replied.

"Yes. Well, now I think you have met Percy, but let me introduce you to Grover." Chiron gestured to the other satyr, who also had on an orange shirt. But instead of being more natural, he wore baggy, dark blue jeans and a pair of faded converse. He looked sheepishly at Mr. D before looking at me and Hillock. "Mr. D, Grover, Percy, this is Zhann and Hillock." Chiron introduced us. Zhann gave a small smile and a slight wave, and Hillock bowed his head at the two. Mr. D snorted.

"Great. Well, welcome and all that." Zhann quirked an eyebrow at the man.

"Please…" Percy started, looking intently at Chiron. Zhann could tell he was really only trying to be polite. "What is this place? What am I doing here? Mr. Brun – Chiron – why would you go to Yancy Academy just to see me?"

Mr. D snorted again. Zhann was starting to dislike the man. He started to deal the cards as he spoke. "I asked the same question." Zhann noticed how Grover seemed to flinch every time that a card landed in his pile. He seemed genuinely afraid of the man. She looked up at Hillock questioningly, only to find his eyes closed. She sighed inwardly, remembering he always chose the most inconvenient times to take a nap.

Chiron smiled, and looked at Percy carefully, choosing his words wisely. "Percy, did your mother tell you nothing?" There was a sort of exasperation in his voice, hoping that there was something – anything to work with.

"She said…" Percy started weakly, getting a faraway look. Zhann almost felt bad for the boy. "She told me that she was afraid to send me here, even though my father had wanted her to. She said that once I was here, I probably couldn't leave. She wanted to keep me close to her." He sounded like a lost boy, trying to find his way home.

"Typical. That's how they usually get killed." Mr. D replied carelessly.

"Wait, what do you mean, probably couldn't leave? Why can't we leave?" Zhann asked, startled and confused. Chiron looked at her balefully. "You were told nothing, either?" His head shook ever so slightly in disbelief. Zhann's expression hardened.

" I didn't have a mother to tell me." She said calmly. She hoped Chiron wouldn't press the issue. Hearing about caring mothers and father's made her bitter. She could feel Hillock's eyes gazing at her sideways. There was a moment of silence, before Mr. D asked Percy if he was bidding. Percy didn't understand, so Mr. D patiently explained.

"Nor a father to want me to be here." Zhann answered his silent question. Chiron looked at her deep ocean blue eyes for a moment, thinking. He seemed to understand the hardships she had been through. Percy also shared a look with her, though she ignored it. She was used to people staring because she was an orphan, it was nothing unusual. Plenty of children grew up on the streets.

"I'm afraid there's too much to tell, and I'm not quite sure what exactly you know. I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient." Chiron paused, wondering where to begin.

"Orientation film?" Percy interjected, not at all playing the card game.

"No…" Chiron decided. "Well, Percy, Zhann. You know that Grover and Hillock are satyrs. You know," Chiron pointed to the shoebox Percy held that Zhann hadn't noticed before, and the rattle tail that Zhann held tightly. " That you have killed the Minotaur, and you have killed the Lamia. No small feat, either, I'm impressed. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life. Gods – the forces you call the Greek gods – are very much alive."

The was a pregnant pause. Zhann was sure the look on Percy's face matched her's, even though she kept staring at Chiron. 'You have got to be joking.' She thought incredulously.

"Oh, a royal marriage. Trick! Trick!" Mr. D laughed, counting his points, and generally ignoring the conversation around him.

"Mr. D," Grover almost whispered, "If you're not going to eat it, could I have your Diet Coke can?"

"Eh? Oh, Alright." He handed the empty can to Grover, to stared down and chewed slowly. Zhann looked at Hillock amusedly, and he was yet again, asleep. She shook her head, trying to process this all.

She figured something was up, a few years ago. She could have sword a Cyclops was following her once, so she looked it up. Ever since then, more and more greek myths seemed to come out of the woodwork. Satyrs, naiads, nymphs, everything. Hillock had once said, when they first met, she seemed to attract monsters more than most half-bloods. She asked him what that had meant, and he wouldn't tell her for days. When she finally got it out of him, she agreed to go to this camp – if only for a little while. She was tired of trying to hide, and run all the time.

Percy's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Wait… you're telling me there's such a thing as God."

"Well, now," Chiron started, grateful that things were progressing. "God – capital G, God. That's a different matter altogether. We shan't deal with the metaphysical."

"Metaphysical? But you were just saying that –" Zhann started, shaking her head in confusion.

"Ah, gods, plural as in great beings that control the forces of nature and human endeavors: the immortal gods of Olympus. That's a smaller matter.

"Smaller?" Zhann asked incredulously.

"Zeus. Hera, Apollo, you mean them. Percy began again, trying to make sense of it all. Thunder boomed across the sky at his words.

"Young man." Mr. D began, finally joining the conversation. "I would really be less casual about throwing those names around, if I were you.

"But… they're stories." Percy objected. "They're – myths, to explain lightning and the seasons and stuff. They're what people believed before there was science."

"Science!" Mr. D scoffed at the idea. "And tell me, Perseus Jackson; what will people think of your 'science' in two thousand years from now? Hmm? They will call it primitive mumbo-jumbo. That's what. Oh, I love mortals – they have absolutely no sense of perspective. They think they've come sooooo far. And have they, Chiron? Look at these two, and tell me.

Zhann's brow furrowed as he spoke. He was speaking like he wasn't mortal. She connected the dots quickly, as she looked the man over. Then, she glanced at Grover, who was simply eating his cans, playing his cards, and sitting obediently at his side. The purple-ish hair, the tiger print, the somber satyrs, the wine blossomed cheeks, Mr. **D. **It clicked rapidly. Zhann looked at him in surprise. Percy looked none the wiser. Chiron looked at her, and saw the recognition. He glanced at Percy who looked stubborn. He directed his attention to the clueless boy.

"Percy… you may choose to belive or not, but the fact is that immortal means immortal. Can you imagine that for a moment, never dying? Never fading? Existing, just as you are, for all of time?"

He hesitated before replying.

"You mean, whether people believed in you or not." Zhann said firmly, looking Mr. D, then at the younger boy.

"Exactly." Chiron nodded at her. If you were a god, how would you like being called a myth, an old story to explain lightning? What if I told you, Perseus Jackson, that someday people would call you a myth, an old story to explain how little boys get over losing their mothers?" A tiny resemblance to anger crept into the kind man's voice. It was if he was trying to get a rise out of the Percy, trying to show him that there was more than just being lost. Zhann reasoned it, but it didn't make sense. She racked her brain, trying to remember something that was on the tip of her tongue. Chiron, Chiron… the name was familiar but to put it to the legend. She shook her head.

"I wouldn't like it." Percy started through gritted teeth. "But I don't believe in gods."

'Oh, you idiot.' Zhann thought to herself, as she looked cautiously at Mr. D.

"Oh, you'd better. Before one of them incinerates you." Mr. D responded coolly.

"P-please, sir. He's just lost his mother. He's in shock." Grover stammed out.

"A lucky thing, too." Mr. D grumbled in reply, playing a card. "Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with boys and girls who don't even believe!" He waved his hand and a wine class appeared, as if the sunlight bent to form the chalice. It filled itself with deliciously dark red wine. Zhann raised her brows in surprise, but her expression was tame compared to Percy's. His mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide with surprise.

"Mr. D, your restrictions." Chiron said, glancing at the wine goblet. Mr. D looked at the glass in mock surprise.

"Dear me." He looked skyward. "Old habits, sorry!" He yelled. He didn't look very sorry. The sky thundered in reply. He waved his hand, and the glass changed to a fresh, cold can of Diet Coke. He sighed as he opened the soda.

"Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a liking to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits." Hillock leaned towards Zhann and spoke just loud enough for the others to hear. She smiled at the seemingly lazy satyr. He looked back with glazed, tired eyes.

"A wood nymph." Percy replied shocked, still staring at the soda can.

"Yes." Mr. D sighed contentedly. "Father loves to punish me. The first time, he set up the Prohibition. Gastly! Absolutely horrid ten years. The second time… well, she was really pretty – so he sent me here. Half-Blood Hill. Summer camp for brats like you two." He spat out the last sentence, as if Zhann and Percy had personally wronged him. Zhann couldn't remember even being rude to him in the first place.

"'Be a better influence' he told me. 'Work with youths, rather than tearing them down.' Ha! Absolutely unfair." He pouted like a three year old with his hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar.

"And your father is…?" Percy replied, slightly shaken with the proof before him. Zhann shook her head. 'How thick can you get?' She replied silently.

_"Di immortales,_ Chiron. I thought you taught him the basics, at least. It's Zeus, of course, idiot boy. Percy seemed a bit slow to process the information.

"You're Dionysus." Zhann replied, looking directly at Mr. D. "The god of wine and revelry?" She shook her head at the younger boy as the information all clicked together.

Mr. D rolled his eyes at her. "What do they say, these days? Grover? Do the children say, 'Well, duh!'?"

"Yes, Mr. D."

"Then, well, Duh! Who did you think I was, Aprodite perhaps?

"You're a god."

"Yes, child."

"A god. You."

Dionysus looked directly at the boy for a second. Percy's face went blank for a moment, before he leaned back and blinked.

"Would you like to test me, child?" Mr. D replied softly, dangerously.

"No. No, sir." The rebellion in Percy's eyes died as Mr. D turned back to his card game. "I believe I win!" His pompous mood quickly returned.

"Not quite, Mr. D." Chiron replied, laying down a straight. "The game goes to me." Mr. D looked at him a moment before sighing. He stood, and immediately Grover and Hillock stood also. Percy looked up at Grover in question.

"I'm tired." Mr. D sighed. "I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Grover, we need to talk about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment. Again. And Hillock, we must speak about your… interesting return." Mr. D looked briefly from the satyrs to Zhann. She met his gaze evenly. Grover's looked on in mild panic, while Hillock frowned. Mr. D looked back at Zhann, then at Percy. "Cabin Eleven, Percy Jackson, Zhann. And mind your manners." He turned around and quickly walked away, the two satyrs following obediently.


	3. Would You Like a Tour?

Zhann kept quiet for the rest of the conversation. She just needed a bit of time to accept all of this. It was harder than she thought… 'Monsters, sure, I've hidden from them. But gods? I mean, Hillock always talked about them as if they were real. Like Zeus really was behind every lightning bolt, Aphrodite behind every new love, Poseidon behind every crashing wave. But really? And if the gods are real, then this camp, everyone here was a demi-god. And that is potential for some scary power.'

But, what about Mr. D? Zhann wondered briefly if he had any children. Then, she wondered who her parents were. Sure, she had often thought about them. Even had dreams about them, unrealistic expectations. The loving father, the caring mother…

Sure, she had foster parents. And they were nice enough, normal enough. But when they were trying to teach her to read? Forget about it. Her dyslexia was so intense. It nearly gave her a head ache just trying to read the camp shirts, everything was backwards and upside down. And what about how Hillock always said monsters came after her the most? She always thought it just meant she was unlucky. She didn't think he actually meant that she was a half-blood. A half-blood what, anyway?

She remembered the first time he said half-blood. She pestered him for hours and hours, trying to figure out what he meant. He never gave up, never told her anything. But, she supposed, there was always that little glimmer. A little, tiny hope that said she was special. I mean, who didn't want to be special? She suddenly felt a little sick to her stomach. She did not want to be special. Not anymore. She regretted running away from her foster parents when she was ten. But things just seemed to happen. Stuff broke around her when she didn't touch it. A lot of the times, things just wouldn't work for her. She just wanted to be at home, on the phone or watching the television, like any other fifteen year old.

She felt stupid, suddenly. 'Any normal person would be in school. Sure, I might be a little clever, but everyone else here at least made it to middle school! I don't even hardly know basic math. I can put two and two together, but…' her thoughts stalled. Chiron and Percy seemed to have stopped talking for a moment. She looked over at the kind, bearded man, and he started to stand. Well, reform is more the proper term.

The blanket fell from his legs, but his legs didn't move. Chiron's waist shifted until Zhann could make out muscles and sinew, and white fur. Chiron stepped his first leg forward, and stretched. His hooves were polished and a dark gleaming black. She looked on in amazement as Chiron fully emerged from the wheelchair/box. The myth clicked in her mind – of course! Chiron, the centaur teacher! She mentally smacked herself in the head. A white stallion stood proudly before the two teenagers, who had leapt to their feet in surprise and a little bit of fear. Yet the man stood, far above the two, still in his tweed jacket. Zhann blinked for a moment, stunned.

"What a relief!" the centaur replied, a smile on his face. Granted, the two's expressions were priceless to be sure. "I'd been cooped up in there so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now, come Percy, Zhann. Let's meet the other campers."

After the initial shock set in, Zhann gave out a nervous laughter. Chiron had already started to walk off of the porch, but she paused. Everything was just so surreal. She closed her eyes and breathed in for a moment. It had long been her coping mechanism – just be. To just breath. After a deep breath, listening to the sounds of quiet nature surround her, she started to relax. That is, until –

"Hurry up now, we don't have very long." Chiron's voice broke her concentration. She saw Percy standing next to him, and gave a sheepish smile. While her nerves were still running wild, she bravely stepped off and out into the camp.

Zhann had to admit, the camp was rather nice. Chiron walked much faster than a normal human, so Percy and Zhann had to rush a little to keep up. Percy made a great effort to not fall behind, as he glanced at Chiron's back end. Zhann giggled to herself as she saw Percy shudder for a moment, and hurry up. She had an easier time than Percy, being a few inches taller, but she still had to pace herself to walk with Chiron and not behind him. The first thing they passed was the sandpit, where a few people and some satyrs played volleyball. The game slowed to a pause for a moment as they passed. Several campers nudged one another, while Zhann distinctly heard whisperings. One of the camper's didn't even have the decency to whisper – he simply stated to a friend with a nod, "There. That's them."

All of the campers were around the same age as Zhann, though quite a few of them looked a year or so older. The satyrs were all nearly the same size and build as Hillock, wearing the same, neon orange shirts and nothing to cover their bare, shaggy hindquarters. Zhann had been quite used to the look – Hillock had once complained that wearing clothing over all of his fur made it very hard to move freely, and it was stifling hot. Their gaze, however was something Zhann wasn't used to at all. It wasn't hostile, but the curiosity seemed a bit too intense. She bowed her head, and her thick wavy hair covered her eyes from sight. Honestly, all of the attention was far too nerve-wracking.

Once they had passed the volleyball court, Percy looked back at the farmhouse. As Zhann looked back curiously, she did have to admit – it was rather intimidating. Standing at four stories tall, it's siding a vivid sky blue with spotless white trim, it looked like something out of a movie. It didn't really feel like it fit into the down-to earth camp vibe everywhere else had. Zhann supposed it was just the pompous nature of the gods, however. On top of the roof stood a polished brass weathervane, in the shape of an eagle in flight, both Percy and Zhann could have sworn they saw movement. Zhann shrugged it off quickly, and turned around to keep up with Chiron. Percy took just a moment longer.

"What's up there?" he asked as he jogged to Chiron's side. He pointed to the topmost portion of the house. Chiron, who had been thoroughly enjoying the tour, abruptly stopped smiling. What Zhann thought was a harmless shadow seemed so much more sinister with his reaction.

"Just the attic." He replied with a wave of his hand, as if hoping the issue would be dropped. He began to walk forward again, but Percy was still curious.

"Somebody lives up there?" Percy asked, shaking his head confused.

Chiron paused for a moment, mulling over his words. "No. Not a single living thing"  
>"What do you mean, living?" Zhann inquired. It sounded like he was telling the truth – but at the same time, it sounded like a lie. He breathed in for a moment, looking at the two seriously.<p>

"Nothing." His lighthearted tone had returned, though he seemed a bit strained. "Come along, then. We've got a lot of things to see."

The three walked through the strawberry fields, and Zhann noted how many of the campers were picking fruit by the bushel, and a satyr played a frivolous tune on his pipes. She wondered about Hillock as she watched lines of insects flee from the crop. Hillock had never played his reeds for her, even though she had asked many times. She smiled at the fun sound, and Chiron explained why they grew the fields.

"Generally, we grow fields for export – many of the restaurants and a couple of farmer markets ask for us all the time. We get a fair amount of trade, and with this whole natural food kick the restaurants have, we can't grow them fast enough. And of course, the gods love them greatly. We send nearly a ton of strawberries each season to Mount Olympus. It pays for our expenses, and the strawberries take almost no effort."

"Wouldn't the gods have like, millions of dollars? You know, being immortal and all."

"Well, not really, no. They don't really bother with that, seeing as how they don't really use moderm money. They have their own system. And with Dionysus here, we manage on our own. He has this effect of plants – being the god of wine, it does work the best of grapes of course. But since he's on restriction, we grow strawberries instead. And the satyrs keep the pest control problem in line, so all of our crop is organic." Chiron pointed out the satyr, and Percy watched him for a moment as the three walked through the strawberries. A few campers stood up and wiped the sweat from their brow. Seeing Chiron, most of them gave a cheery wave and returned to their work. Some grumbled to themselves with frowns, but continued working.

"Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he? I mean… he was a good protector, really." Percy asked quietly, looking up at Chiron.

"And what about Hillock? Why did Mr. D say he needed to talk to him?" Zhann asked before Chiron could answer Percy. She looked up at him with hard, steeled eyes. If Grover got into trouble, what was going to happen to Hillock? "He wasn't a keeper, we just sort of… found each other."

Chiron sighed at the two, and shed his tweed jacket. He draped it over his horse back, like a saddle.

"Grover has big dreams, Percy. Perhaps larger than reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill. And Hillock… well, Hillock left this camp many years ago. He's very good at his own brand of woodland magic, which Mr. D wanted him to use for the camp. When Hillock refused, he was banished with the warning that he would have to stand trial if he returned. He went against the council, and against Mr. D's word."

"But Grover did do that!" Percy began in protest.

"What do you mean, trial?" Zhann asked, alarmed, and speaking at the same time as Percy.

"Woah, alright. I might agree with you, Percy. But it is not my place to judge. Both Hillock and Grover will have to stand before Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders, and they will decide. Percy, they may not see Grover's assignment as a success. After all, he lost you in New York. Then there is the unfortunate…ah, fate… of your mother. And the fact that Grover was unconscious, while you two helped him over property line. And Zhann, the return of Hillock is a source of argument. His brand of woodland magic is scarcely seen, and if it were used for any other purpose than specifically directed by the council, then there may be disastrous consequences. Not only that, but he directly defied an order from the council. His propensity towards rebellion is a cause for concern. The council will question if Grover showed any courage on his quest, and they will also question if Hillock is still against any authority. While they are both young, I'm afraid they have both chosen equally dangerous paths."

Both Percy and Zhann digested this new information. Zhann felt awful about Grover. Already, even though he was young and seemed very nervous, she had grown a slight bit attached. That, and the look on Percy's face was distraught. She thought about Hillock, and his fate. She didn't want to know what may happen if the Council decided unfavorably against him. He had become her mentor, her friend, her confidant.

"He'll get a second chance, won't he?" Percy replied quietly, staring up at Chiron in hope.

"I'm afraid that was his second chance, Percy. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age…"

"How old is he?"

"Oh, twenty-eight." Chiron replied. Zhann smirked – Hillock was thirty-three. He had explained to her a long time ago about the difference between satyrs and humans. It had been the second question she had asked him. The first had been if he really had horns.

"What! And he's in the sixth grade?" Percy asked incredulously.

"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."

"That's horrible." Percy shook his head.

"Quite." The centaur almost seemed amused with his reaction. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at any type of woodland magic. Alas, he is anxious to persure his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career…"

"That's not fair." Zhann began in protest. Why should he suffer for trying? "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"

Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?"

He began walking, and Zhann started with him. Percy lagged behind for a moment.

"Chiron… If the gods and Olympus and all that are real…" Percy began, a question forming on his lips as he jogged along.

"Yes, child?"

"Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?"

Chiron's expression darkened, and Zhann pondered the fact. Suddenly, things didn't seem so exciting anymore – this camp, everything was all new, and enchanting. That there was a dark side to the world she had stepped into… that could prove a more challenging fact to deal with. And she had caught on to the fact that Chiron deliberately avoided the word death when speaking of Percy's mother – and though she could tell the centaur was sensitive, he was also blunt. He wouldn't have avoided stating a fact, but he wouldn't lie. With his knowledge, he would simply twist around the truth.

"Yes, child." Chiron paused, tasting the words to make sure they came out correctly. "there is a place where spirits go after death. But for now… until we know more… I urge you to put that out of your mind.

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"

"Come, Percy, Zhann. Let us see the woods."

The group walked out of the strawberry fields, and towards the woods. Even from a distance, zhann could tell that it would be very, very unwise to go in without knowing your way out. The trees were thick, and tall, and the mere presence seemed to exclude fine age.

"The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."

"Stocked with what?" Percy asked quickly.

"Armed with what?" Zhann inquired directly after Percy's statement. The two looked at each other concerned.

Chiron chuckled lightly. "You'll see. Capture the flag if Friday night. Do you have your own usable sword and shield?"

"My own—" Percy replied, still confused.

"Nope." Simply replied, excitement creeping into her voice.

"No… I don't suppose you do. I think a size four for you, Zhann, and five for you, Percy. I'll visit the armory later.

They continued with the tour. The three passed the archery range, the lake, the stabled, the javelin range, the amphitheater, and the arena. Chiron paused at the arena, and grinned down at the two, who seemed a bit struck at the beauty of everything.

"And this here… this is where we have our sword and spear fights."

"Sword and spear fights?' Percy repeated dully.

"Yes, Cabin challenged and all that. Not lethal. Usually. Oh, yes, there's the mess hall."

"Usually?" Zhann replied as the centaur trotted over to the mess hall. She was starting to think he was having fun torturing them. The stopped at an outdoor pavilion, framed in Grecian columns that supported no roof. It was laid out on a hill that looked over the sea. A dozen clean stone picnic tables filled the space. Most of them looked quite spectacular, as if they had never been used. Some had a few chips and dents, and one looked like it had been thrown and tossed about.

"What do you do when it rains?" Percy asked, genuinely interested. It had been a funny sort of question. Zhann thought she'd have rather asked why some tables were spotless, and some were roughly abused.

"We still have to eat, don't we?" Chiron stated rhetorically, as if Percy were crazy for asking. He started to walk away.

"I thought it was a valid question." Zhann said as she walked by Percy, patting him on the shoulder.

"He didn't really answer me…" He replied, following her.

And to finish the tour, Chiron showed the two the cabins. There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They were arranged in a sort of horseshoe shape, or half of a widened oval. There were two at the base, and five on either side. And the personality that which inhabited the cabins were stunning, and wildly different.

Each of the cabins had a large brass number directly above the door, with odd numbers on the left and even numbers on the right. Cabin one was the largest and most imposing of the twelve. It's polished bronze door shimmered in the sunlight, so that when you moved it looked as if lightning were streaking across the door. It's heavy marble columns stood straight, tall, and firm. Cabin two was graceful, though just as imposing. It's marble columns curved inward towards the bottom and top, which were garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with peacocks, vivid and detailed.

"Zeus and Hera?" Zhann guessed.

"Correct." Chiron replied.

"They look empty." Percy stated.

"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."

One cabin in particular drew both Zhann's and Percy's attention. While Chiron was simply admiring the beauty around, the two teenagers were both slowly walking towards the first cabin on the left. It wasn't tall, though it did have marble columns to support a roof. The walls were low, solidly made out of rough grey stone, studded with pieces of seashell and corral, as if directly cut from the sea floor. The columns weren't decorated, per se, but the sea shells that trailed along were brightly colored, and vibrant. Zhann, without really registering what she was doing, reached for the doorknob.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that!" Chiron yelled out in reprimand, reaching for the two. Before he shut the door, She smelled the sweet ocean air, and the salty sea. The walls shined with the opalescent sheen of clean abalone shells. There were six empty bunk beds with dark blue silk sheets, turned down. But it was free and clear of any signs of life. No one lived there, or had lived there for quite a long time.

"Come along, you two." Chiron said gently pushing at the two teenagers shoulders, away from the cabin. Zhann glanced back in wonder. It felt so sad, and lonely there, yet so vibrant and welcoming. She shook it from her mind as she continued the tour.

They passed number five, which was seemingly larger than the other cabins around it, but that may have just been the menacing aura around it, combined with the awful decorations. The bright, fire-engine red that the walls had been painted seemed messy, and thick. Zhann noted the globs of paint that seemed to roll down the sides, as if someone had simply poured buckets down the side and let them drip. The roof was lined with barbed wire and spikes, and a stuffed boar's head hung above the number over the door, it's hollow glass eyes bright in the reflection of the sun. Loud rock music blared from the inside, fueling several angry teens to arm wrestle, argue and fight.

The loudest inside the cabin was a girl leaning against the doorway. She was tall and thickly built, though younger than Zhann., perhaps thirteen or fourteen. She wore an old, faded camouflage jacket with a couple of rips, over a slightly singed orange camp shirt. She stopped yelling for a moment and sneered over at the touring group. Zhann met her gaze evenly, though Percy seemed a bit sheepish. He stepped around the other side of Chiron, blocking the girl from his sight. Chiron seemed to not have noticed the exchange.

Percy almost tripped over one of Chiron's knobbly hooves. He straightened himself and continued walking, a curious look on his face.

"We haven't seen any other centaurs." Percy observed looking back Chiron.

"No. My kinsmen are wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But there are none here, save for myself."

"You said your name was Chiron. Are you really…?" Percy asked, trailing off. Chiron smiled down at him. "The Chiron, from all of the stories? Trainer of Heroes and all that? Yes, Percy, I am."

"But shouldn't you be dead?" Zhann asked callously. Subtlety was never her strong suit.

Chiron paused, intrigued at the question. "I honestly don't know if I should be dead. The truth is, I can't be. Eons ago, the gods granted my greatest wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from my wish… and I lost much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."

"Doesn't it ever get boring?" Percy stared thoughtfully up at the centaur. Zhann saw centuries of age in his eyes, though a bright smile graced his features.

"No, no." He responded, waving his hand. "Horribly depressing at times, but never boring."

"Why is it depressing?" Percy kept inquiring.

Zhann stared at the younger boy, and sarcastically thought to herself, 'Hm, I wonder? Maybe because he's seen too many deaths of the heroes he has taught? Because he has outlived every mortal around him? Because he would be perpetually alone, no others of his own kind around him, no one to love on his own, no one to speak to about his troubles. He has to face the world alone, teaching children how to fight monsters who have slain hundred before his eyes.' She inwardly sighed as the centaur turned away.

"Oh, look. Annabeth is waiting for us." He replied instead, changing the subject. Zhann couldn't blame him. She looked over to where the centaur's gaze lay, and saw a tall blonde girl, about Percy's age. The trio walked over to her. Annabeth had a book in her arms about Grecian architecture. She surveyed the two newcomers with trepidation. She looked at Percy calculatingly, while she only glanced at Zhann. It seemed that she had met the boy before. It also seemed she could not meet Zhann's eyes, though from the looks Zhann was receiving, she thought the girl might have felt she was dangerous. Before Zhann could ponder this further, Chiron spoke up.

"Annabeth. I have a masters' archery class at noon. Would you take these two from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cabin eleven." Chiron gestured toward the doorway. "Make yourselves at home."

It was just then when Zhann noticed that they had reached the end of the cabins. She noticed the doorway in which Chiron had gestured, and raised an eyebrow. Out of all of the spectacular cabins, this one seemed the most… ordinary. The brown paint was peeling from the frame and side, showing old, rough wood. There were several people inside, more than it seemed the cabin could fit. On top of the doorway, next to the number was the symbol of the caduceus – a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it.

Chiron walked right toward the door, and looked inside. He didn't step in, for the simple fact that the doorway was too low, and there really want enough space inside. The campers all respectfully stood and bowed their heads at his appearance, and looked eagerly at the newcomers. Zhann glanced inside and noted numerous sleeping bags, spread haphazardly over the floor.

"Well then. Zhann, Percy… Good luck. I'll see you two at dinner." Chiron nodded at the two before galloping off the way they had come, back towards the archery range.

Zhann stepped inside smoothly, staring at the occupants, who stared back. Unaccustomed to such limelight she bowed her head down, and her hair shielded her eyes. Percy stopped for a moment, looking at all of the people.

"Well, go on." Zhann heard Annabeth hurry Percy inside. Zhann looked up for a moment, only to watch Percy trip over the small step up into the door. He grunted on impact. Zhann knew he wasn't hurt, with the exception of his pride. She almost reached out a hand before retracting it quickly. Helping him up would have embarrassed him further. She heard the group of people chuckle at his misfortune, though no one said anything. There was the slightest tinge of pink around his cheekbones as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"Percy, Zhann. Meet Cabin eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" Someone asked from the back.

"Undetermined, both of them." Annabeth replied. This response elicited groans from every member of the crowd.

Zhann started to ponder what that meant, when a guy a little older than Zhann stepped forward.

"Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Zhann, and Percy." He gave the slightest of winks to Zhann, who looked up at him confused.

"Percy, you can have that spot, over there." He said, pointing to a small space at the foot of a bunk bed. "And Zhann, you can have by the window." Zhann nodded as he pointed to the window nearly the opposite side of the door. She nodded once, before looking him over. He was taller than her by a few inches and muscular, with short dirty blond hair and a mischievous smile. He had a bit of a pointed chin and his eyes held a glint of trickster in them. He had a thick scar that ran from just beneath his right eye to his jaw line. He wore the customary orange shirt, though his had no sleeves, and tan shorts. He also had a simple cord necklace with five clay beads.

"This is Luke. He's your counselor now." Annabeth said, looking at Luke with bright eyes.

"For now?" Percy inquired.

"You two are undetermined," Luke began patiently. Zhann was sure he had told several other campers this very same speech. "They don't know what cabin to put you in yet, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers and all visitors. Naturally we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

"And of thieves, and messengers, and medicine." Zhann responded quietly, looking into the crowd of faces. Some were suspicious looking, some mischievous. There was a slight similarity in several of their faces.

"Very good." Luke nodded at her approvingly. Zhann blushed, and looked away. God, how she hated being the center of attention. Several of the campers had returned to what they had been doing before the two interrupted their day. Zhann walked over to the window to look out. The view was breathtaking, like the forest surrounded them in solitude. She silently wondered what she had done to merit this spot, when she turned back to Percy, who still hadn't moved.

"How long will I be here?" Percy questioned Luke.

"Good question. Until you're determined." He seemed to be slightly sarcastic with his reply.

"How long will that take?" he asked innocently. The campers all around laughed heartily at him. Even Luke grinned as he shook his head. Zhann frowned and turned back to the window, looking out into the forest, lost in thought.

"Come on."Annabeth urged Percy out of the cabin. "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"I've already seen it." He replied dully.

"Come on." Zhann looked over to see Percy being dragged away by Annabeth.

The laughter subsided for a few moments, and the campers began talking amongst themselves.

Zhann stood there for a few minutes, her arms crossed, with her snake rattle still firmly in hand. Though the battle seemed so far away, it still felt so real. She remembered every moment, the confusion and fear. She remembered the look of horror on Vance's face as his brother was swallowed whole by the Lamia. She remembered the vicious battle between her and the monster… she felt she was going to die. She was actually going to die – but it had been alright. The others had gotten away. Now here she was, camping out in an old bunker with a bunch of other kids. Zhann closed her eyes tightly, feeling her face flush. She swallowed a few times, hot salty tears running down the back of her throat. Though it was more like saliva, she always imagined she was crying on the inside, so she didn't have to actually cry. She had always hated crying, it messed with her head. It made her congested, and that's not mentioning the fact that she was in a room full of strangers. She had learned a long time ago how to keep her emotions inward.

If she could just think, just let everything fall away, it might have been a dream. A very weird dream. She was just in another orphanage now, nothing special. There were no demoted wine gods, no centaur teachers, no demi-gods. Nothing but a normal, quiet life. She breathed in an out for a moment, trying to tune out the other campers, and calm her emotions.

"Hey." Well, so much for that. She opened her eyes to Luke, who leaned against the window sill, facing Zhann. "You look a bit stressed. Are you alright?" Zhann thought about it for a moment, looking back into the trees. There was something about making a new friend that she always loved, even though she was shy to a fault.

She cleared her throat before answering. "Yeah, just a bit worked up is all." She gave him a small, brief smile.

"So I've heard." He smiled widely up at her. "Lamia and Minotaur, in one night. Most of the kids around here would kill to have the chance to fight a monster half that size." He sounded amused.

"It's not all fun and games." She suddenly became angry, though her voice remained calm. " I watched a little boy die because I didn't react quickly enough. And I watch Percy's mother be crushed in the hand of that demon." She spat out the words, glaring furiously at Luke. "And I couldn't stop it!" Zhann breathed deeply before glaring out the window, at her own reflection. "I couldn't stop it..." She breathed out, her anger turning to remorse.

"Hey, look. It wasn't your fault. No one could have stopped it from happening…" Luke shook his head, placing a hand on her shoulder for a moment. She looked down at it in surprise, before looking at him. A question entered her mind, before she could really process Luke's actions.

"But how are they even real? The monsters, I mean. If it was the actual Lamia, the actual Minotaur… which, by the way, Percy killed… I mean, weren't they killed thousands of years ago? How do they exist today?" Luke removed his hand and crossed his arms, mirroring Zhann.

"Ah, yeah. Well, monsters don't have souls. They're archetypes, they reform after a while when someone's killed them."

"So you could kill them, and then they just reappear? Like, what the next day?" Zhann frowned.

"Nah. They sort of vanish, for a while. I guess it takes them time to come back, but it could take decades. Even a whole lifetime, if you're lucky." Luke shrugged. She supposed to him, it was just a fact of life.

"So there is no concrete way to kill them, to be rid of them forever." Zhann stated. "What's the point, then? Why can't you just find a way to keep them down?" She sounded exasperated.

"The point is to stay alive. And to keep others safe." His voice was hard, resolute. It seemed, to Zhann, that he had faced his share of monsters – both literal and metaphorical.

"Do you want anything? Need anything?" Luke asked after a few moments of silence had passed. Zhann shook her head.

"I do have another question, though. Even though Hermes is your patron, why do others stay in here? Why are kids assigned specific cabins, and why are some empty?" She asked him thoughtfully. She had guessed at a possible reason, but she wanted to be completely sure.

He paused for a moment, trying to think of the best way to explain.

"Well, assuming you know your mythology, what was it that the gods were famous for?"

"I dunno, being the cause of everything – lightning, the sea, the earth, the underworld…" Zhann replied, thinking about his question. Luke looked at her for a moment, an eyebrow raised, and nodding. And it clicked, in her mind. "Ahh… and having relationships with mortals." Luke smiled at her conclusion.

"They can't help themselves. So, somehow the kids end up here. And they need a place to stay – but the gods are always changing their minds, their opinions, and their allies. You can't have a bunch of kids in different cabins. Say that Hermes and Apollo were great friends, but something happens, and they get into an argument. So their kids take sides, but they're living in the same cabin, which belongs to another god. So everything gets all sort of crazy." Luke explained quickly.

"Hm. So each cabin represents a god or goddess, and only their children stay in their respective cabins. With the exception of Hermes, who takes in all travelers – or in this case, those who don't know who their patron is. Like me…" Zhann replied, trailing off. "So why are some cabins empty? I understand why Hera's is empty, being the goddess of marriage… but what about Zeus? Or Poseidon? Don't they have the most kids in the tales?" She shook her head at Luke. He smiled, more to himself than her.

'Oh, she's clever. Maybe Athena?' He looked into her blue eyes and at her black hair. She didn't fit the general description of a child of Athena, with their storm grey eyes, blonde hair and calculating looks, but there is a first for everything. His thoughts were disrupted when a camper burst into the cabin.

"Guys! One of the new kids blew up the toilets!" He yelled into the cabin. A bunch of people bombarded him, asking him about what had happened.

"What?" Luke asked, confused. He pushed himself off of the wall and through the crowd, leaving Zhann behind. It seemed an interesting thing to do, blowing up a toilet. But the crowd at the door was not one she felt like fighting through. She turned back to the window and stared off into the trees.


	4. Petrichor and Salt Water Taffy

As it had turned out, Percy had something to do with the 'exploding' toilets. Apparently, one of the girls from Cabin five had decided to initiate him, and give him a swirly. Somehow, the toilets expelled water, knocking back the girl and her friends. The news was everywhere, and everyone was talking about it – especially Cabin 11.  
>No one else had approached Zhann, as of yet. She had stood by the window for a few more minutes until the crowd of people had gone to the scene or returned to their activities. She was still lost in her own thoughts when she noticed that the doorway had cleared, and she wouldn't have to fight her way out. She set the snake rattle on the window sill and walked outside.<p>

As she figured a large group of people were standing outside of what must have been the restroom. She looked around for Annabeth, who was supposed to be her tour guide, who was nowhere to be found. Sighing in resignation, she went to wander around the camp by herself. Being a loner, Zhann preferred it this way. As she walked towards the path that led back to the lake, she noticed the field that the cabins surrounded. They all faced a commons ground about the size of a soccer or baseball field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains and benches, flower beds, and a basketball court. In the middle of the field was a huge, stone lined fire pit. Though the air was mild and temperate, a small girl with dark hair tended the flames, poking the bright coals with a long stick. She looked up at Zhann and smiled warmly. Zhann, though startled by the gesture, smiled back. The girl quickly returned to the fire.

Zhann pushed the incident from her mind as she walked back to the path towards the lake. She was sure that there must have been a quicker way to the lake, but seeing as how she had only been shown one way, she figured to be on the safe side. It wouldn't be fun to get lost in a camp this large.

She began to remember the conversation she and Luke had, piecing things together on her own. She figured out that this was a camp for demigods. She also figured out that they were real. What troubled her was that she could belong to any cabin. She didn't know which cabins were which yet, though a few inferences could be made. But she didn't know whom her father had been. Nor her mother. She had grown up an orphan, in and out of homes – whenever they could catch her.

Maybe she was a daughter of Hermes, god of travelers – that might make sense. She loved to travel. Maybe Aphrodite, goddess of love? No, she was far too shy. Perhaps Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle? There was a possibility. She always fancied herself smart, and she did enjoy having a plan to outsmart people. It was why she was never caught, because she always thought ahead. Not Ares, god of war – she didn't like to battle, not as vigorously as the campers of cabin five seemed to, anyway. Hm, perhaps Zeus, the king of the gods. Now that was an interesting idea, though she felt no attraction to the sky, nor an overwhelming urge to lead. She didn't want to be led, either. Maybe even Poseidon… She had always loved the sea, though she had grown up in the middle of the country. Just the idea, the untamable waves, the salty tang of life, the mysterious depths… it thrilled her. Though reflectively, she was a shy young girl who liked to be alone. She wasn't special, in any outstanding way. She was stubborn to a fault, and accepting of all life, of all humans. And there were twelve different gods and goddesses, each with a different persona. How on earth would she ever figure it out?

Zhann looked up, and around her, breaking her train of thought. She realized she had gone off of the trail sometime prior, and didn't notice. The sun was still high in the sky, perhaps only two or so in the afternoon. For a moment, she looked all around her, hoping to recognize something, anything familiar… to no avail.

She sighed loudly to herself. "It just figures, the one thing I didn't want to do was get lost, but here I am." She shook her head at herself. "And now, here I am, rambling to myself. Like anyone else would want to listen to me." She ended bitterly, angry at the situation. A small gust of wind blew by, blowing her hair out to the right. A small question formed in her mind, before feeling a sort of… tug towards the way the wind blew. The breeze stopped as quickly as it had come. She walked quickly, hoping to get out of the forest.

After about ten minutes of walking the trees opened up, and she saw the most amazing, beautiful view of the lake, where it led out into the sea. To her left, down the coast was the pier, where Chiron had shown them the canoes. Zhann let out a humbled sigh of relief before shaking her head at herself. She had scared herself half to death by getting herself lost. She looked over the lake and its beaches, on to the opposite coast where the mountain started to form, meeting the valley. To her right was the sea, the sun glimmering in the crest of each wave. It went on until the horizon, where the earth met the sky. Zhann smiled to herself for a moment, before walking back towards the canoes.

One way led to the cabins, and Zhann silently chided herself for getting lost. They were so close! How did she even get to the forest? The other way lead towards an area that she hadn't been to before. She also noticed that Percy and Annabeth were sitting on the edge of a pier, talking. They seemed to have become friends quickly. Zhann frowned, though not at their friendship. If she was honest, she would have admitted that it wasn't easy for her to make friends. She had tried, when she was younger. It just didn't come to her. She looked at the two paths before her, again.

She quickly chose the path away from the cabins – she hadn't been eager to return to a crowded room full of strangers, just yet. She passed a large rock wall, where some campers were climbing quickly – as it shook and spewed lava from the top, whilst dropping boulders towards you. It towered over all of the buildings, and she wondered how she hadn't seen it before. Past that, a group of satyrs were sandblasting a marble statue of a goat-man in a room filled with art supplies of all kinds. Beyond that was an open fire forge, where a number of kids were forging their own swords and tools. Zhann stood there for a moment, and wondered where her short blade had gone. She knew she had it in her hands when the Minotaur had been defeated, but beyond that, she had completely forgotten. She wondered briefly if it were on the top of the hill, by the tree still.

A couple of satyrs walked by, talking amongst themselves.

"Did you hear? One of them blew up some toilets, when Clarisse tried to 'make friends.'" One of them said to the other, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Wasn't that the boy? Didn't he slay a monster by Thalia's tree?" The second replied in interest. Zhann decided to follow, from a short distance. They were walking back towards the lake.

"Yeah, that's the one. The girl killed the other one with an old rusty short blade! Can you believe it? It's very peculiar." Said the third.

"It's strange, alright. Especially with everything going on right now, with the missing thing in Olympus. You think they might have taken notice."

"You don't think they the kids are from one of the 'Big Three'?"

"Who knows? We'll certainly have to keep an eye out. I'll bet a dozen tin cans that they're both going to be year rounders..." The satyr paused for a moment, in thought. "The two little kids that came in with Hillock are still in shock. The little boy hasn't said a single thing!"

"Hm. Do you think they'll be given a quest?"

The satyr snorted in response. "Maybe. It'd better be quick, what with the solstice about to come up…" The satyrs walked into the area by the cabins. Zhann changed her path quickly to avoid being detected. She decided to walk towards the pier. She sat down at the end, crossing her legs under her, overlooking the water and trying to process what she'd just heard.

The thing missing from Olympus… the 'Big Three'… year-rounders… the quest and the solstice…

She took each thing in step.

'So there is something missing from the home of the gods – go figure it is a real place. Where on earth would there be a mountain that large, though? Unless Mount Olympus was a figurative mountain, and not just an apartment building of some sort.' Zhann smiled at the thought of gods being in an apartment. 'Hillock earlier said that Zeus was angry, with the storm that blew over them the night they arrived at camp. So something was missing…

'The big three is an obvious reference to the three most powerful gods – assuming Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. But their cabins are empty – and come to think of it, there are only eleven cabins. If Hades had been denied a chair at Olympus, then it is obvious he is denied a cabin at Camp Half-Blood. Luke hadn't answered my question earlier… why do Zeus and Poseidon not have any children?

'And the term year-rounders concerns me. If in reference to the amount of time I'll have to spend here at camp, I think I'd rather be on the streets… no, that's a lie. So far, this has been better than any other place I've lived, and I've only been here a day.

'And the last bit of information. Assuming everything here is the same as the quests in the past, then it is obvious that people are sent out on menial tasks to prove their worth to the gods – which, unless I'm incorrect, the gods tend to ignore their children for the most part, instead simply sire more. So a bit of notoriety is a good thing in their minds. Just a bit of attention – so kids are desperate. But the way the satyr asked the question – it was as if there aren't many quests going on. And there is something about the solstice… wow, this is starting to sound like a sort of clue game. 'The missing item, the new, 'undetermined' kids, and the solstice.''

Zhann looked down into the water, sighing in resignation. She had come up with more questions than answers in her little sojourn of the mind. But instead of seeing a sandy bottom, a few rocks and minnows, she saw a pair of eyes looking directly up at her.

There was a young girl, a foot or so from the surface. She had flowing brown hair, a round face and olive green eyes. She wore blue jeans and a shimmering green t-shirt. She stared at Zhann with a puzzled, curious expression that was mirrored on the face of the girl on the pier. She smiled after a few moments and darted back down into the depths, about twenty feet below. At the bottom sat another girl who was also looking up in curious wonder. They looked to almost be twins. Hillock had once told her about Naiads, and after the first few moments of shock, she realized that that was what the young girl was. Well, that and the fact that she didn't seem to be breathing. Zhann guessed being a water spirit had its perks. The first girl seemingly whispered to the other for a moment, and gestured wildly for Zhann to come and join them.

"I can't!" She yelled, shaking her head and staring down at the two girls. They seemed to have a hurt expression for a moment. They pouted, and swam off further into the lake. Zhann sat back down and crossed her arms. Now really, if she could have joined them, she would have.

A couple of campers were putting a canoe back onto the stand when she had yelled. They looked over at her in wonder and confusion. Zhann looked over at them and stood up in a hurry and walked off of the pier and towards the cabins. The two campers looked at each other wordlessly and continued lifting the canoe.

As Zhann returned to the cabin, she realized that everyone seemed to be there. There was hardly a place to sit down, never mind sleeping. She wondered just how many campers stayed in the tiny, twelve bunk hut. She walked over to the window and looked outward, wishing the day were over. Her stomach rumbled for the first time, and she realized that she only had the drink from earlier today. She wondered if the camp only served one meal a day or if she had missed lunch. She suddenly noticed something peculiar – her rattle, her only treasure, had somehow disappeared. She paused to look around, as if someone would be holding it. Angrily, she remember that Hermes was the god of thieves, and she had blatantly forgotten that earlier in the day when she had set it down. Before a thought could form in her head about how to get it back, she noticed Luke was sitting next to Percy, talking.

'If anyone would be able to find out who took it, it'd be him.' She thought about going over to them, but decided against it. She wouldn't want to interrupt some one's conversation. After a minute or two, Luke stood up and noticed her staring out of the window. She quickly picked his way over to her, and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey. I got you a sleeping bag… and I stole you a couple of toiletries from the camp store." He said with a smile. She figured he wasn't joking about stealing the toiletries. She gave a quick smile back, before asking him her question.

"Thanks. Hey, I left my… rattle-thingy here, on the window sill. Did someone take it?"

He smiled mischievously at her concern. "Yeah, I saw who did it." He leaned against the sill of the window, still looking at her.

"And you didn't stop them?" She asked incredulously, staring back at him in anger. Wasn't he supposed to be in charge of everyone in this cabin?

"I suppose I could have…" He drawled, a glint in his eyes. Zhann stared at him in confusion. "Oh, come on. I took it so that no one else would." He said, walking over to his bunk. He pulled out a shoebox, like the one Percy had, and a bundle that looked like a sleeping bag. He quickly handed them to Zhann, who looked a bit stunned.

"You…" She started, looking into the box. As promised, there was a small thing of tooth paste, a tooth brush, some floss, a bottle of strawberry shampoo and body wash and a tiny vial of strawberry perfume, along with her rattle, which took up a third of the box.

"What do you expect? We're all extended family, here." He replied, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. "We have to take care of each other, because no one else will. Now come on – dinner's ready."

In the distance a conch shell blew. Zhann stared up at him in confusion as he walked away. She set the box down quickly as the campers fell into a line. "Eleven, Fall in!" Luke yelled over the chatting campers. Zhann learned that the places were organized in seniority – though age didn't have anything to do with it. Even though she was older than a good portion of the cabin, she was second to last in line, with Percy being dead last. About twenty or so people lined up.

"So how was your day?" Zhann asked Percy quietly as they filed out of the cabin. Other cabins were lining up as well, with the exception of the first three, and cabin eight, which had started to glow silver in the moonlight. Zhann realized that it must have been Artemis' cabin.

"You know, the usual. Control the plumbing and get everyone's attention, finish a tour, oh, and by the way, Your father was a god." He sounded a bitter, and a little resentful.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Well, you sure made an impression." Zhann tried to joke. "I got forgotten by our tour guide and then got lost I the woods." She sighed, and shrugged her shoulders. Percy looked a bit guilty about that. "Well, at least people don't expect much of us." She finished her though sarcastically. Several of the campers were looking at the two in wonder.

They continued up the hill towards the mess hall pavilion. Satyrs joined from the meadow, naiads emerged from the lake, and nymphs melted from the woods. Zhann noticed the round faced naiad from the lake. She looked over and grinned at Zhann, who waved sheepishly back. A couple of satyrs and campers noticed. In all, there was about a hundred or so campers, a few dozen satyrs, and about twenty or so naiads and nymphs.

Torches blazed around the pavilion, firelight casting a cheerful scene amongst the tables as the campers sat down. Each cabin had it's own table, covered in white cloth trimmed in purple. A central fire burned in a large bronze brazier. Four tables were empty, even though cabin eleven's table was overcrowded. It was surprising that all twenty fit onto the cable that looked like it should have seated fourteen.

Zhann noticed Grover and Hillock were sitting at a table with Mr. D. Along with them were a few other satyrs, and two plump blonde boys who looked like Mr. D. Chiron stood to the side. Percy saw that Annabeth sat at table six, with a bunch of kids with storm grey eyes and honey colored hair. The Ares table was loud and obnoxious, all of the kids yelling and talking loudly.

After everyone had been seated, Chiron stamped a hoof against the marble floor. Everyone immediately fell silent. He raised a glass and thundered in a loud, deep voice, "To the gods!"

Everyone raised their glasses and repeated him. "To the gods!" Percy and Zhann also raised their glasses, a tick slower than everyone else. Wood nymphs strode forwards with platters of food: grapes, apples, strawberries, cheese, fresh bread and barbecue.

Zhann looked for pitchers of water but saw none. Luke saw across from her and Percy, and noticed her looking. He said to the two, "Speak to it. Whatever you want – nonalcoholic, of course."

"Oh, darn." Zhann replied sarcastically. Luke gave her a sideways smile.

"Cherry Coke." Percy said speaking directly into it. The glass filled with bubbling caramel liquid. "Blue Cherry Coke." Percy added, and the drink turned a bright shade of cobalt.

Zhann thought for a moment. "IBC Root Beer." She took a small drink and smiled appreciatively.

"Here you go, Percy." Luke handed the boy a platter of smoked brisket. He loaded his plate as Zhann got a couple of spare ribs, a handful of strawberries and grapes, and two buttered rolls. Luke looked at the nearly over loaded plate, and raised his eyebrows at the girl.

"Eyes a little big for your stomach?" He eyed her small frame.

"Not at all." She replied in earnest, popping two large grapes into her mouth.

Everyone started to get up, and walk towards the central fire pit. Zhann and Percy looked on in confusion.

"Come on." Luke said, nodding his head towards the fire.

The two stood up after looking at each other for a moment. Sure, why not?

Zhann watched as campers took a portion of their meal and dropped it into the fire – the largest grape, the plumpest strawberry, the juiciest strip of beef.

"Burnt offerings for the gods. They likes the smell." Luke whispered loudly to Percy. He then looked back at Zhann, who nodded.

"You're kidding." Percy replied, not looking away from his plate.

Luke tossed in a cluster of red grapes. "Hermes." He mumbled respectfully, though his eyes betrayed his action. Zhann looked at him as he walked away. Percy stood there for a moment, before tossing in a bit of his brisket. Zhann did the same, unsure of whom to send her regards to. Without coming to any conclusion, she threw in her biggest strawberry with a plea that any lost children would find their parents. A gust of wind blew towards her, and she smelled a thousand of her favorite smells, and suddenly the fact that the gods liked the smell seemed adequate. There was the smell of fresh coffee, of ripe strawberries, grilled steak, and sour green apples. The most dominant smells were petrichor and salt water taffy. A thousand distinct smells, and yet the melded together wonderfully. She walked back to her table, wishing she could smell it all once more.

Chiron pounded his hoof for their attention after the meal, as Mr. D stood. He sighed loudly before addressing the campers. "Well, I supposed I better say hello to all of you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels."

A rough cheering came from table five. Several fists pounded against the wood.

"Personally, I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you we have two new campers today. Peter Johnson and Zandra Grey." Chiron mumbled something towards him.

"Er, Percy Jackson and Zhann White." He corrected. "That's right. Hurrah and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire. Go on."

Everyone loudly cheered. Suddenly all of the campers stood, and quickly walked towards the amphitheatre.

Apollo's cabin led a sing along, with various tunes about the gods, other spirits, and hero misadventures. Though people mostly sat with their cabin, several people shared marshmallows and helped create s'mores for each other. Even Zhann had a huge smile on her face by the time the conch shell blew once more, the starry sky shining above them.

After reaching the cabin and setting up her borrowed sleeping bag. Soon, the cabin was filled with heavy breathing and snores of tired teenagers. Zhann stared upwards into the window. Mostly all that she could see were the tops of trees, but there was a sliver of open space. She could see stars, shining brightly above her as she thought about the things that had happened that day. Waking up in the big house, meeting a god and a centaur, taking a tour of the camp grounds, getting lost and finding her way, seeing naiads and eating at a table with a bunch of other kids her age. It was like she actually belonged here.

Everywhere she had ever gone, there was a feeling of remorse and bitterness. She hadn't wanted to go to a normal school – the kids there were cruel and unkind, with more expensive clothes and lifestyles than her foster parents could afford. The few friends that she did make she didn't have anything in common with. And then, when she had run away, she slept on park benches and doorways, living in fear of being caught and sent back into the system. With no one to care for her, it was easier to be lost in the system than alone in the world. The world didn't scare her – she knew she only had herself to count on. In the system, people tricked their ways into your brain, turning against you when they profited. But here… there were kids who had grown up in broken homes, just like her. With sad parents, the lonely children had wandered here, and found a place to call home. She smiled at the thought. Home.

She stared deeply into the inky black night, and fell asleep counting the stars.


End file.
